Courthouse steel removal project complete

By Wayne Allen

October 3, 2013

Wayne Allen

PDT Staff Writer

At the Tuesday meeting of the Scioto County Commissioners it was reported that crews with Southern Ohio Salvage and Contracting, Inc. have finished a project of removing scrap metal from the remains of the former Scioto County Jail on the fourth floor of the Scioto County Courthouse.

According to Scioto County officials, a total of 320,000 pounds of steel have been removed opening up an additional 12,000 square feet in the courthouse.

“We’re not going to be done with that project until the space is renovated and useable again but, most of the cleanup is done,” said Mike Crabtree, Chairman of the Scioto County Commissioners. “The space has been opened up and it’s a sight to see.”

In June the commissioners signed an agreement with Southern Ohio Salvage and Contracting, Inc., of Ironton, to remove the remains.

At the time, Commissioners Chairman Mike Crabtree was quoted as saying, “This is going to be done at no cost to the county. They will take the bars down, cut them in small pieces so they can be moved from the fourth floor to ground level, then placed in a dumpster. Community service workers and our maintenance department will be responsible for moving the steel to the ground level as a courtesy to the contractor.”

Crabtree said the agreement was worked out in such a way in which the county would not have to pay anything for the service.

He said were roughly 65 cells located on the fourth floor.

Since the new Scioto County Jail opened in 2006, the majority of the fourth floor has remained vacant and been used as storage space. Over time, the roof of the building began to leak and caused some damage to the space rendering the majority of it uninhabitable.

Crabtree said now that the roof have been replaced and the steel has been removed, the commissioners are exploring options on possible use of that space.

“I am pleased we got this project done at a great cost savings to the county,” Crabtree said. “There are going to have to be some things done with the plumbing and electric, up there (before anyone can consider moving into the space).”

Crabtree said there is interest in the space from offices seeking additional space within the county government.

“You always have people that are interested in space and that seems to be what we have a shortage of (in the courthouse), obviously we have people in the courthouse annex for that very reason,” he said.

Crabtree said the commissioners are trying to look as far down the road as they can for planning purposes and to be able to work with what they have available.

“I can’t give you any schedule as to when things are going to happen, we’re just trying to do as much as we can as responsibly as we can,” Crabtree said.

He said the county is currently perusing grant funding to refurbish the fourth floor.

Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 228, or tallen@civitasmedia.com. For breaking news, follow Wayne on Twitter @WayneallenPDT.